Seaton Valley Neighbourhood Plan
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Seaton Valley Neighbourhood Plan Referendum Version May 2021 Seaton Valley Neighbourhood Plan: Referendum Version (May 2021) Foreword On behalf of Seaton Valley Community Council, welcome to the referendum version neighbourhood plan for our area. When we commenced work on the plan in 2015 our focus was on the protection of our Green Belt, affordable housing, economy, transport, infrastructure and our environment. The initial work on the plan focused on the concerns of the community in New Hartley around the proposed housing development in the village. Following the granting of planning permission for the development in New Hartley at appeal in September 2017, our work lost some of its momentum. In July 2017 Northumberland County Council took the decision to end work on the Northumberland Core Strategy and to prepare a local plan for the county. The Northumberland Local Plan is currently at examination. In early 2020, the council decided to recommence the work on the plan and that the focus of the plan should be the protection of the important open spaces in our villages. The council believes that the Northumberland Local Plan addresses many of the issues in the area around the protection of the Green Belt, future housing and employment sites, transport issues and the protection of the environment and communities. However, we wanted to ensure that the open and green spaces in our villages are also protected. We commenced consultation in February 2020 and invited residents for their views on which open spaces we should protect through the plan and why. We received a positive response and from that we created a background paper to explain the process that has led to the proposed local green spaces and protected open spaces that we have included. We consulted on our draft plan between September and November 2020 and again received a positive response. Where appropriate, we have amended the Plan to respond to comments received. I would like to thank all the local residents who responded to all of our engagement activities and gave us their input. The Plan has now passed examination and will proceed to a local referendum where all residents of Seaton Valley will be able to vote on whether the Plan should form part of the development plan for our area. Cllr. Susan Dungworth Chair of the Council 2 | P a g e www.seatonvalleycommunitycouncil.gov.uk Seaton Valley Neighbourhood Plan: Referendum Version (May 2021) Contents Foreword 2 1. Introduction 4 Background to neighbourhood planning 4 Planning context 4 Background to the Seaton Valley Neighbourhood Plan 5 Next steps 7 2. The key issues for the Seaton Valley Neighbourhood Plan 8 Background to Seaton Valley 8 Background to the preparation of the plan 9 3. Vision 10 4. Protecting our important open spaces 11 Background 11 Local green space 11 Protected open space 13 3 | P a g e www.seatonvalleycommunitycouncil.gov.uk Seaton Valley Neighbourhood Plan: Referendum Version (May 2021) 1. Introduction Background to neighbourhood planning 1.1 Neighbourhood planning is a right for communities that was introduced through the Localism Act 2011. Neighbourhood plans are community-led, they are prepared by town and parish councils and set out guidance on how new development will be managed in the local area. They do this by creating land use ‘planning policies’. Plans can deal with a wide range of issues like housing, employment, heritage and transport. In some cases, they may only focus on one or two issues that are of particular importance in a local area. Policies within neighbourhood plans cannot block development or support less than that already committed in the statutory development plan. What they can do is shape where that development will go and what it will look like. 1.2 Neighbourhood plans can also cover issues which are not related to the use and development of land. They can provide a useful document in which a town or parish council can establish priorities for action to improve their area. These are often referred to as ‘community actions’. However, the main purpose of a neighbourhood plan is to set policies for the use and development of land. 1.3 Once a neighbourhood plan has been examined by an independent examiner; agreed at the referendum stage by the local community; and ‘made’ (brought into legal force) by the local planning authority, it becomes part of the statutory development plan. Planning law requires that planning applications are determined in accordance with the development plan unless material planning considerations indicate otherwise. Planning context 1.4 As they are part of the development plan, neighbourhood plans have to be developed in line with legal requirements. The way in which neighbourhood plans are prepared and the policies they contain, are tested by an independent examiner who assesses whether the plan meets the ‘basic conditions’ to ensure they are legally compliant. Neighbourhood plans must: • Have regard to national planning policy and guidance; • Be in general conformity with the strategic policies of the development plan; • Contribute to the achievement of sustainable development; and • Be compatible with European obligations. National planning policy and guidance 1.5 National planning policy and guidance is set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG). 4 | P a g e www.seatonvalleycommunitycouncil.gov.uk Seaton Valley Neighbourhood Plan: Referendum Version (May 2021) Development plan 1.6 Currently, the development plan for Northumberland consists of the saved policies of the former local planning authorities that made-up Northumberland before Local Government Reorganisation in 2009. For the Seaton Valley Neighbourhood Area, these are: the Blyth Valley Core Strategy (2007), Blyth Valley Development Control Policies (2007) and the saved policies of the Blyth Valley District Local Plan (1999). 1.7 Northumberland County Council (NCC) has prepared a new local plan which will replace the existing saved planning policies. This was submitted for examination in May 2019 and is currently subject to public examination. 1.8 The Seaton Valley Neighbourhood Plan (‘the plan’) has been informed by the adopted Blyth Valley planning policies and the emerging Northumberland Local Plan. Sustainable development 1.9 The purpose of the planning system is to help achieve sustainable development as defined by the NPPF. This specifies that the presumption in favour of sustainable development should be the basis for every plan and every planning decision. In brief, ‘sustainable development’ is about growth which delivers economic, environmental and social progress for this and future generations. The basic conditions statement, that accompanies this referendum plan, explains how the implementation of the plan is expected to contribute to sustainable development. European obligations 1.10 Neighbourhood plans must be compatible with EU obligations, specifically strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and habitats regulations, through an appropriate assessment (AA). The SEA is a way of ensuring that the environmental implications of policies are taken into account before plans are brought into force. The AA process aims to ensure that the plan will not result in significant damage to internationally important nature conservation sites. NCC provided a screening opinion on the need for both SEA and AA. The conclusion was that neither a SEA nor AA were required. The screening opinion is available on the county council website1. Background to the Seaton Valley Neighbourhood Plan 1.11 On 15 October 2015 the Parish of Seaton Valley was designated as a neighbourhood area for the purposes of neighbourhood planning. Following a formal boundary review which was approved by Northumberland County Council and came into force on 28 January 2020 the parish boundary of Seaton Valley was modified. The Seaton Valley Neighbourhood Area was re-designated on 8 June 2021. This new neighbourhood area replaces the area previously approved on 15 October 2015. 1 https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Planning/Planning-policy/Neighbourhood.aspx 5 | P a g e www.seatonvalleycommunitycouncil.gov.uk Seaton Valley Neighbourhood Plan: Referendum Version (May 2021) 1.12 The proposed neighbourhood area comprises the whole of the new administrative area of Seaton Valley Civil Parish. This area is shown on Figure 1. The Parish Council consider it appropriate that this area be designated as a neighbourhood area since it comprises the whole of a new single civil parish. Figure 1: Seaton Valley Neighbourhood Area 1.13 In the summer of 2016 Seaton Valley Council (SVC) agreed the key themes for the plan. However, following the granting of planning permission for a controversial residential development at appeal in September 2017, work on the plan lost momentum. 1.14 In January 2020 SVC considered a revised scope for the plan, with the focus to be the protection of important open spaces within the villages. Early engagement with the local community took place during February and March 2020 on sites that could be protected. 1.15 Early engagement informed the preparation of a pre-submission draft plan which was subject to consultation during September and November 2020. The draft plan identified: • The context in which the plan has been prepared – an overview of Seaton Valley, the opportunities and challenges for the plan to address; • A positive vision for the future of the Seaton Valley Neighbourhood Area; and • How the vision of the plan will be delivered through planning policies i.e. the policies that will be used to determine planning applications within the plan area - providing a framework for sustainable development. 1.16 The period covered by the plan is to 2036, this aligns with the emerging Northumberland Local Plan. During this period, the neighbourhood plan will be reviewed and updated where required. 6 | P a g e www.seatonvalleycommunitycouncil.gov.uk Seaton Valley Neighbourhood Plan: Referendum Version (May 2021) Next steps 1.17 The Plan was subject to independent examination in May 2021.